Nov. 5, 2006
Box Score
Duquesne used a 19-0 first-half run to erase an early four-point deficit and went on to pull away for a 102-74 win over Division II Mercyhurst in the Dukes final exhibition game of 2006-07.
The undermanned Dukes, who dressed just six scholarship players - including none taller than 6-6 - were led by sophomore Phillip Fayne's 25 points. Freshman Scott Grote scored 18 and fellow freshmen Robert Mitchell and Stephen Wood added 16 each as all six scholarship players scored in double figures. Six-two sophomore Aaron Jackson led all players with a game-high 10 rebounds for Duquesne. Jackson, who scored 12 points, just missed a triple-double with a game-high eight assists.
Avi Fogel led Mercyhurst, which played 13 players, with 16 points.
"We really got out and defended," said first-year Duquesne head coach Ron Everhart. "At times it looked like we were playing with five point guards out there the way we were moving the ball. We need to understand that when you want to play fast you can't force the issue. When you take quick, bad shots that can get you whipped. Our patience and execution was the key. We have to learn to control the game with our offense to some degree."
Duquesne trailed 16-12 when Fayne ignited the run with a 3-pointer off a pass from Grote. Wood then hit his first of four first half 3-pointers to put the Dukes up 18-16 at the 11:52 mark.
DU would never trail the rest of the way.
Wood buried another 3-pointer to give the Dukes a nine-point lead with just over 10 minutes left in the half. Reggie Jackson capped the run with DU's fourth 3-pointer in just over four minutes to make the score 31-16 with 8:16 to go.
Wood added two more 3-pointers in the next two minutes as the Duquesne lead ballooned to as high as 22. DU hit 11 of its last 13 shots of the half to take a 55-35 lead at intermission.
For the game the Dukes shot 63.6 percent and turned it over just 12 times. Mercyhurst, which hit seven of its first nine shots, was held to 6-of-19 shooting over the final 12-plus minutes of the first half and finished at 46.7 percent for the game.
"We picked it up defensively, that was probably the biggest thing" said Fayne who came off the bench to hit 8-of-11 shots. "After watching film of our first exhibition game [an 81-77 loss to Millersville on Nov. 1] we saw a lot of things we didn't do."
The Dukes turned 18 Mercyhurst turnovers into 26 points and were outrebounded by the taller Lakers by just one (30-29).
The Dukes were without 6-10 forward/center Kieron Achara who was held out with a mid-foot sprain. Six-nine, 255-pound center Almamy Thiero, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 9, was also not in uniform for Duquesne.
DU opens the regular season at home versus Youngstown State on Nov. 13.
